Matt discusses advantages and disadvantages of flat and

Matt discusses advantages and disadvantages of flat and Phillips screwdrivers

Laboratory Survival Skills Physics 5719 “The Physics of Nuts and Bolts” • Three credits • one-half semester • 3 hours lecture and demonstrations • 4 - 6 hours demonstrations and practical experience (“labs”) per week • additional lab time as arranged.

Topics to be covered • Safety, general lab procedures, lab etiquette • Vacuum – Measurement, pumping schemes, system design considerations • • • Temperature measurement and control The thermodynamics of vaporization Electrical engineering for the physics lab Plumbing for physicists Tools – Measuring tools, wrenches, screwdrivers, fasteners, hammers, pliers, drills, taps and dies, etc

Labs (practical exercises) • Tools – Drilling, tapping, threading, measuring… • Vacuum – Use of pumps and gages • Temperature – Measurement; calibration with 2 -phase equilibria • Thin film deposition: a primitive device • Nanotube growth

Administrative • Objective: to help you gain in a relatively efficient and painless manner the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary to survive and succeed in a laboratory. • Grading – 6 reports on “practicals” @ 50 points; due one week after “practical” is completed – Midterm @ 50 points – Final @ 100 points – Quizzes on assigned readings and homework • It is expected that all course materials will be posted on the web in a timely manner

Administrative • Textbooks – Machining Fundamentals, John R. Walker, Good heart-Willcox Company, Tinley Park, IL, (2004). Available in Student Shop. We will use approximately pp. 55 -200. On Amazon, used, from $40. – Building Scientific Apparatus, John H. Moore, Christopher C. Davis and Michael A. Coplan, Perseus Books, Cambridge MA, (2003). Out of print!

Caveat • All students should ponder the following philosophical question: Are you here to get a degree or to get an education? If you are here to get three credits with the minimum effort, we strongly recommend you look elsewhere to get it; if you are here to get an education, there is virtually no amount of effort we are not willing to expend to assist you.

Quote from Tom Lehrer “Life is like a sewer: what you get out of it depends on what you put into it. ” The same goes for everything you do, specifically including “your studies”.

Next caveat • Successfully completing this class will not make you an expert at anything. • You will be the walking definition of the expression “A little knowledge is dangerous. ” • You will have access to tools and techniques that will allow you to do serious damage. • Use what you learn from this course cautiously and respectfully.

Course evaluation • “Now I have to admit, and I mean no offense by this, but it took me a little while to get used to Matt. He’s just pretty intense and fairly intimidating. But once I got past that I think Matt does a great job. If you don’t ask enough questions he’ll beat them out of you. If he catches you slacking or not paying attention he’ll call you on it and make you shape up. While this makes it quite intimidating … I think it made for a favorable result. Namely being that Matt forces [a] healthy amount of dialogue and expects feedback from his students. So learning doesn’t become a passive activity. Because of the nature of the course I think this was helpful. “

Policy on Questions • If you don’t understand something, a concept, a term, a word. . . whatever, ASK! It is absolutely guaranteed that several of your classmates also don’t understand the same thing (some may think they do) but are too embarrassed to ask. You will be doing them a big favor. Having students truly understand half the course material is vastly superior to everybody hearing all the words and but only getting a superficial understanding. Also you will be regularly asked to explain concepts and techniques about which you did not ask questions.

More on Questions • In some cultures the professor knows everything, the student knows nothing and it is the student’s responsibility to quietly absorb all knowledge put forth by the professor. • Has anyone experience in such a system? • This class won’t be one of them! • How does such a system compare with the American system in terms of effectiveness of learning?

Time management • You will learn such abstract concepts as time management and deadlines. Homework and lab “experiments” will be handed out early in the “quarter”. • You will be given 1% extra credit for every day before the end of the quarter that you turn in an assignment • You will get zero credit for anything turned in after 1505 MDT on Wednesday 29 April.

J. I. Swigart’s Definition of Physics • “Physics is a way of thinking about the universe. ” • Indeed it is a very special way. • The plan is to view a number of tools and procedures through the lens of physics and have fun doing it. • Let’s get started doing it!